The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
“Progress, not perfection”
It may not have been the best idea to hold Pack the Gym night the same night the Lady Titans faced the 2A state champion Sanford Indians in mighty Mt. Olympus, but it just happened that way.
Nevertheless, the fans got a glimpse of what I think is the Lady Titans’ biggest asset—heart. Coach MaryMike Haley has been touting her team’s heart since the start of the season, and every week it only grows stronger.
Before this turns into an “aww shucks” piece, I want to point out that the team’s got talent, too and when applied in a constructive manner, the Lady Titans make things happen.
“When we learn to put four quarters together, we’ll be a force,” says Haley.
It’s just that there’s only so much a young team big on heart with a smattering of talent can do against a perennial 2A state powerhouse like Sanford.
The Indians opened up a quick 11-2 lead before Haley called a timeout to pull her team together. The Lady Titans recovered to finish the quarter strong as senior Natalie Bowen drained a 12-foot jumper and then fed sophomore Elisabeth Desmarais underneath for a basket at the buzzer.
The Lady Titans started working the ball inside to Desmarais, opening up the perimeter for sophomore Shannon Costello. Costello scored seven points, Desmarais had two big steals and the Lady Titans cut the Sanford lead down to six points, forcing the Indians coach to call a timeout to stall the rally.
Junior Maddie Stichter fell into foul trouble and had to sit, and the Indians closed the first half with an 8-0 run to take a 14-point lead into halftime.
“They went on a roll and our team just imploded,” says Haley. “When Maddie was in foul trouble, that really changed the dynamic of our team.”
The Lady Titans came out in the third quarter back at full strength and traded baskets with the Indians to hold onto a shred of hope. Stichter hit three free throws and an eight-foot jumper, the Lady Titans shredded the Sanford press for a couple of easy buckets, but the 2A state champions eventually took over for good.
Despite falling behind by as much as 30 points, the Lady Titans kept battling until the end and finished the game scoring four of the final eight points off of hustle, but eventually lost 64-34.
Costello led the team with 11 points and four steals, Stichter scored nine points with five steals, Desmarais finished with six points and a knee full of fluid, and sophomore Suzanna Dumas pulled down nine rebounds.
“They definitely played their hearts out and played as a team,” says Haley. “I was super proud of the fact that they stuck it out. They show up great in bursts—now it’s just a matter of putting together four solid quarters. Progress, not perfection.”
The Lady Titans head to Del Norte on Friday, January 27 for a rematch with a team that beat the Lady Titans by 19 points last time.
The good news: They didn’t have Desmarais last time the two teams met. The bad news: The team may lose Bowen for the season with a stress fracture.
“I’m hoping we’ll have a better game this time—we’ll see,” says Haley. “Mallory Mikeska is a force and may have to come in and pick up for Natalie.”
The Lady Titans return to Mt. Olympus on Friday, February 3 when they host South Park. The JV play at 3 p.m. with the varsity slated to tip off at 6 p.m.
